


Let Me Mend Your Broken Soul

by Rehizle_28



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Maggie is the perfect girlfriend and big sister, but a happy ending, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 16:54:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10495386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rehizle_28/pseuds/Rehizle_28
Summary: “I have to be brave for Kara.” Alex sobs, each one like a knife in Maggie’s heart. “If I’m not and I fall apart what’s going to hold us up? What do we do then?”“You let someone else be brave for you.”After an op gone bad Maggie comforts both Danvers sisters.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea floating around in my head for weeks now, and have had a lot of it written since at least episode 12. I love the idea of Maggie comforting both Alex and Kara and allowing Alex to let herself be vulnerable and have people see her cry, it's something that has been explored in the show quite a bit and this is my own take on it. The song that inspired this is the beautiful 'Brave' by The Shires and I definitely recommend a listen to not only that song but all their other ones, they are amazing! This work can be considered as a continuation of my 'It's all in the pose' but it's not essential you read that.

_Well let me hold your heart, let me be the one_  
_You’ll never have to feel so alone_  
_Let me bring you back to the world, back home  
_ _Let me mend your broken soul_

_Calm down, just calm down_  
_It’s not the first time, I’ve seen you cry_  
_You don’t have to be so brave  
_ _Tonight_

* * *

It’s been a bad day.

The call comes from Winn, the slight quiver in his voice giving away his own emotion and prompting her to sit up sharply, demanding to know what’s happened.

An op gone bad.

A rouge alien in a warehouse, it was supposed to be a simple in and out. Apprehend the alien and be back at the DEO for dinner.

Only things had gone wrong.

Ten agents, led by Alex and accompanied by Supergirl had infiltrated the warehouse, using tactics that have been honed over hundreds of successful missions. The plan was straightforward, the alien was weakened, should be easy to catch and transport. Supergirl was there merely as a precaution, there would be no real need for her.

But the alien wasn’t weakened, it had fed, regained strength and was stronger than any of them were expecting, than any of them were prepared for.

Ten agents went in.

Only four walked out.

Nobody is dead as far as Winn was aware, but six agents were badly wounded, with one not expected to make it through the night.

Alex’s name is the first breathless question on her lips as Winn explains what happened.

“She’s ok physically I think, a few cuts and bruises.” Winn replies hastily, but there’s a hesitation in his voice that sets her on edge.

“Winn.”

“I’ve never seen that look on her face before.” He carries on hurriedly. “Her eyes looked so...dead. I tried to get her to stay and talk, or call you. But she left to be with Kara.”

Maggie closes her eyes, sighing heavily. “And Kara? Is she?”

“She’s not doing great.” Winn’s voice is barely a whisper and she can hear the wobble in his tone that indicates he’s close to crying.

She does her best to comfort him over the phone, assuring him that everything will be ok. That he did the right thing calling her, she’ll make sure his girls are ok.

She ends the call with the promise that the two of them will go for a beer, so he can talk, work through his own feelings, allow him the attention he so rarely receives.

She knows that people forget him, that because he spends most of his time behind a desk he’s passed over, people assume that when things go wrong it won’t affect him.

But it’s his intel the agents are working on, his skills that track down the aliens and human threats alike. When things go wrong he feels it as acutely as any commander, as any field agent.

It’s his two-favourite people in the world out there, risking their lives every day.

Maggie knows how that feels.

As soon as the call ends she’s heading out the door, pausing only to grab her keys and jacket, phone pressed against her ear again, calling the number she knows now by heart.

It rings through to voicemail, and although it’s what she expected her steps become more urgent as she crosses the parking garage to her bike.

**XXXXXX**

It’s been a few weeks since Maggie guessed Kara’s secret and the three of them are still settling into their new normal. Kara has become a regular fixture on many of their nights, relishing in the idea that she can finally be her real self.

Alex has been relaxing more too, Maggie notes with a swelling heart that her girlfriends smile is brighter than ever, her voice has lost the cautious tone that she hadn’t even realised it held, it’s as if she’s been released from invisible shackles, shackles that had her chained to a life of secrecy and lies.

Maggie knows how seriously Alex takes her job, takes the safety of her agents and, above all, the safety of Kara. Every op she goes on, the outcome is _always_ a reflection of her leadership skills. If something goes wrong, it’s on her. Despite the many assurances from J’onn, Kara and Maggie that she can’t control everything.

Maggie can’t begin to imagine how her girlfriend must be feeling right now.

The thought has her revving her bike faster, weaving through traffic _slightly_ faster than the speed limit in a bid to reach Kara’s flat.

She’ll write herself a ticket tomorrow if needs be. But right now, she needs to get there as fast as possible.

Kara’s door is unlocked, it always is. When you’re bulletproof it’s easy for things like locking the door to be forgotten. Maggie still steps into the flat cautiously, eyes and ears alert for any danger. The flat is dark, an unusual occurrence and only serves to heighten her sense of unease.

She’s about to call out for Alex when a shape in her peripheral vision catches her eye.

There, elbows resting against the breakfast bar, a mostly empty bottle of whisky next to her left hand, is Alex.  Her head is bowed and she doesn’t appear to have noticed Maggie’s presence yet. The single bulb above the counter illuminates her profile and even in the low light Maggie can see the tears dripping down her girlfriend’s cheeks and onto the counter top, can hear the soft sobs that Alex is doing her best to muffle.

Maggie feels her heart break.

A quick glance round the apartments shows Kara nowhere in sight, but the bedroom door cracked open and Supergirl’s red boots leaning against the wall give Maggie a good idea where the hero is.

Needing no more confirmation Maggie crosses the room quickly, stopping a few feet away from Alex’s motionless form.

“Danvers.”

At the sound of her name Alex starts, whirling round, eyes widening wildly even as she goes for her gun from her thigh holster that she had yet to remove.

“It’s me!” Maggie throws her hands up in submission as the barrel of the gun is levelled at her head, panic flashing through her heart at the wild, alien look in Alex’s eyes. “Danvers it’s Maggie!”

Recognition dawns in Alex’s expression and she lowers the gun with shaky hands, a choked sob rising halfway in her throat before she pushes it back down. Placing the gun on the counter next to the whisky bottle she wipes hurriedly at her eyes, brushing the tears away as if they were never there. Picking up the bottle she takes a long drag wincing at the taste.

She does all this without meeting Maggie’s eyes.

The detective takes a tentative step forward, hands splayed out in front of her. “Alex?”

For a moment, she thinks Alex is going to ignore her, but after one more drag from the bottle the agent turns to face her and Maggie can’t help biting her lip as her eyes rake over the nasty gash that splits Alex’s right cheekbone and the darkening bruise that’s blooming on the left side of her jaw.

“What are you doing here?”

“Winn called me.” She takes another step forward, careful to move slowly. “He told me about the op, mentioned that you weren’t doing so good.”

“I’m fine.” Alex’s response is quick. Too quick. Maggie can see in her red rimmed eyes and gaunt expression that the DEO agent is anything but fine. “I’m sorry I didn’t call, I had to take care of Kara.” She gestures vaguely to the bedroom.

“How is she?” Maggie asks softly, another step bringing her within touching distance of her girlfriend. She hovers, not wanting to reach out until Alex gives her the ok, because she knows in moments like this that Alex is skittish, prone to fleeing from her emotions and the people around her.

“She’s not taking it well.” Alex replies, bracing her arms against the counter she allows her head to fall forward, hair flopping around her eyes like a curtain, shielding her from Maggie’s gaze. “She thinks it’s her fault because she didn’t come in with us right away, she was monitoring the perimeter. She thinks if she’d come in earlier she could have saved them.”

Maggie makes a sympathetic noise in her throat, eyes flitting to the door of Kara’s bedroom. “It’s not her fault.”

“No. It’s not.” Alex’s voice has a hard edge to it as she straightens up, back straight like a soldier and expression blank. “It’s mine.”

“Danvers...”

“Those agents were under _my_ command. It was _my_ job to keep them safe!” Alex’s eyes are focused on a spot just to the left of Maggie’s head. “I should have gone in by myself scouted it out, realised that the alien was stronger. Because of me Bates is going to...” She catches herself on the last word, making another grab for the bottle and drinking deeply.

Moving forward Maggie reaches out and gently pries the bottle from Alex’s fingers. “Come on babe, I think you’ve had enough.” Tugging softly on her hand Maggie moves her through the apartment, drawing her to the sofa, surprised that Alex allows her to.

“You shouldn’t have had to come all the way over here.” Alex mumbles. “I’m fine.”

“Danvers you’re not fine.” Maggie tries to coax her to sit on the sofa but Alex tenses, body not budging. “And that’s ok, you’re allowed to be upset, you’re allowed to fall apart, you’re allowed to _feel_.”

“I don’t have that luxury.” Alex shakes her head, blinking fiercely to rid her eyes of the tears that have collected. “I need to be strong for Kara, she needs me. If I fall apart it’s...” She trails off again slumping down on the sofa and burying her head in her hands.

Maggie is by her side in an instant, one hand rubbing soothing circles on her lower back, the other carding through soft hair, pushing it away from her face, fingertips brushing against skin.

“You are the strongest person I’ve ever met.” She murmurs in Alex’s ear. “There is no one else who can carry the burdens of the world and walk as tall and straight as you do Danvers.” A small sob escapes Alex’s throat and Maggie tightens the hand that has curled around her girlfriend’s waist. “Nobody will think any less of you if you allow yourself to break down every once in a while. Because I see you, I see that you hold every decision in every fibre of you, they never leave you. It drives you forward I get that, it’s how you draw your strength because you’ve had to do everything alone, but sometimes you just need to let them go and start again, let yourself _feel_ rather than just react and anticipate.” Pressing her lips against Alex’s temple Maggie sighs softly.

They sit in silence for a moment, Alex isn’t crying but Maggie can feel her body shuddering slightly, as if she’s holding her breath to stop the tears coming.

“Someone is going to have to call Bates’ wife,” Alex mumbles through her fingers, “call all of their families and partners.”

“That doesn’t have to be you.”

“It does.” Alex insists, her voice stronger now. “It’s my fault they’re lying in those beds so it should be me who tells their families why they’re there.”

Maggie shakes her head. “It is not your fault!” She insists fiercely. “It was the alien who put them in those beds, not you!”

Alex doesn’t respond but the slight nod of her head indicates that she has at least heard Maggie. After a moment she disentangles herself from Maggie’s arms, rising to her feet she flicks the lamp on the coffee table by the sofa on, flooding the room with soft orange light. Her expression is composed, almost stoic as she runs a hand through her hair.

“I’m sorry you had to see me like that,” She says finally. “It’s not fair to put this on you, it’s too much.”

Maggie is on her feet in an instant. “Hey, listen to me. You should never be afraid to put these things on me, it’s part of being in a couple, we share each other burdens. I would take all your pain away if I could, but I can’t.” She pauses before speaking again. “I know a little of what it’s like to lose people, to feel like I should have saved them, like I should have been better.”

Alex knows immediately that she’s thinking of the alien massacre at the bar and her expression softens, right hand involuntarily twitching out towards Maggie. The memories of the nights after that night still haunt them both, of anguished howls bloody knuckles and empty bottles. 

“I know how heavily today weighs on you, how you feel you have to hold it together for Kara, for me, for the DEO, for the city. But I need you to know that I am the one person you don’t need to do that with, I am someone you can lean on as heavily as you need too.”

Stepping forward Maggie cradles Alex’s face between her hands, careful to avoid the wounds on her girlfriend’s face.

“The days of you pushing down your feelings are officially over.” She whispers, forehead pressed to Alex’s. “Because you have me now.”

At her words, Alex finally breaks, collapsing into her arms as if all the strength has just left her body in one go. Maggie guides them to the sofa, Alex’s face pressed into her shoulder as she cries.

Maggie has seen Alex cry before.

When Maggie rejected her in the bar she had seen the unshed tears shinning in Alex’s eyes as she had backed away, an image that still haunts her to this day.

She cried when Maggie kissed her in her flat after the Cadmus attack, slow happy tears that trickled down her face as she pressed kiss after kiss to Maggie’s lips.

She saw once, out of the corner of her eye Alex crying at an old black and white movie they were watching on television, although when confronted the agent vehemently denied such an occurrence happening. Alex Danvers does not cry at old movies.

Alex cried when she opened up to Maggie about her father and her fears that they would never find him, that her mother would resent her for not doing enough to find him. A few single tears slipping down her cheeks as she admitted to not feeling good enough.

But Maggie has never seen Alex cry like this.

It’s as if every single tear, every moment of sorrow, remorse and fear is releasing from Alex’s body in a single torrent, like the breaking of a long-standing dam, unstoppable, raw emotion that floods the room with harsh sobs and tears staining Maggie’s shirt.

The sound of her girlfriend’s pain is almost more than Maggie can stand, but she holds it together. She holds it together the way Alex has held herself together ever since Kara crash landed into her life 13 years before.

She wonders when the last time was that Alex allowed herself to cry like this. She knows the answer is probably years.

For a while she says nothing, offering only comforting noises her mother used to make when she was a child, ones that always seemed to calm her more than any words could manage. Alex’s hands grip, almost painfully at her shirt, but she takes the pain, her own hands running soothing patterns up and down the agent’s back.

“It’s ok.” She murmurs. “You’re safe, you’re loved and you are _not_ alone.”

They haven’t said the words to each other yet, but they’ve been on the tip of Maggie’s tongue for weeks, always present but never quite there.

If the trailed off sentiments and blushes of the last few weeks are anything to go by she suspects that Alex has been having similar thoughts.

She wants to say it now, wants Alex to know just how much she’s loved, how much Maggie’s heart swells every time she sees Alex smile, how it beats quicker when she kisses her, how it becomes difficult to breathe when Alex presses her body against her own.

She wants to tell her all this and more, spend the entire night listing every tiny thing she loves about Alex Danvers.

But tonight, is not the night, the first time she tells Alex she loves her shouldn’t come in a moment of what Alex perceives as weakness.

“You are so brave Alex,” the rare use of her name only makes Alex cry harder but Maggie presses on, “you do so much for the people around you without ever asking anything in return, and, after a day like today, it’s ok to ask. It’s ok to not be as brave.”

“I have to be brave for Kara.” Alex sobs, each one like a knife in Maggie’s heart. “If I’m not and I fall apart what’s going to hold us up? What do we do then?”

“You let someone else be brave for you.”

Alex lifts her head, slowly, as if it’s suddenly become heavy, a dead weight. Her eyes are wide and somehow manage to look devoid of emotion, and brimming with it at the same time. The conflict swirling in her hazel irises is enough to have Maggie running a hand soothingly through her hair, smoothing it back from her face.

“I’ve never…” Alex falters and Maggie smiles softly.

“What? Had someone be brave for you?”

“Kara is.” Alex is quick to defend her sister.

“Kara is the second bravest woman on this planet.” Maggie soothes her quickly, ignoring Alex’s grunt of disbelief. “And I know she would rip this world apart if anything ever happened to you, because if she lost you then her world would never be the same, she would never be able to the hero she is without you.”

Alex whimpers softly and Maggie presses tender lips to the crown of her head. “So yes, Kara is brave, but that strength, that courage, that willingness to do good, that comes from you. And you know this, it’s why you never let Kara see you cry, it’s why you never let her see how much days like today affect you, because if she sees you break down, then there’s nothing standing between her and the void.” Wrapping Alex in a tight hug she rocks her back and forth, whispering the next words in her ear, low and steady.

“Now she does. Now she has me too.”

Alex’s breath catches in her throat. “Maggie.”

“I’m gonna be brave for you too.”

Alex is crying again, tears streaming thick and fast down her face as she turns in Maggie’s arms, hands sliding up her chest to cup her face, her eyes shine with all the words that Maggie knew they both wanted to say, were both aching to say.

Words didn’t quite seem to be enough, leaning forward with a heavy sigh Alex presses her forehead to Maggie, body slumping in surrender.

“Thank you.”

The words are accompanied by another sigh and Maggie can actually feel some of the tension, regret and blame that Alex has been holding inside leave her body with the exhale.

It doesn’t erase the events of the day, it doesn’t make them magically better.

But it’s a start.

* * *

For a while they just sit, Maggie humming a tune so soft that it can barely be heard, but it’s soothing for both women.

It’s only when Alex starts to flag against her the Maggie realises that she was still in her DEO outfit and covered in dirt and blood.

“Alex, babe. Think you might want to get cleaned up a bit?” she asks cautiously, aware that at any moment Alex could snap out of her slightly calmer state.

Alex looks down at herself, grunting softly in surprise when she sees the state of her uniform.

Urging Alex gently to her feet Maggie guides her to the bathroom, flipping the switch they both wince as the bright light floods their eyes.

Once she has the water running it becomes apparent that Alex isn’t making a move to undress, perching on the edge of the bathtub she’s staring off into space, the haunted look returning to her eyes.

Sinking to her knees Maggie reaches out with cautious fingers towards the thigh holster. Alex starts slightly at the contact, eyes drooping to meet Maggie’s, a small nod was the permission she was looking for, unclasping the holster Maggie places it on the floor beside her, hands moving next to the clasp of Alex’s black combat trousers.

On any other night Maggie would have kissed every inch of skin that was revealed to her, marvelling in the beauty of her girlfriend's body and using her lips, teeth and tongue to drive Alex to distraction until she was quivering with desire, want and need.

But tonight, Alex needs something different.

Instead she helps her into the tub before retrieving a soft sponge and beginning to clean away the dirt and dried blood that coats her girlfriend’s skin.

Alex’s injuries are more extensive that Maggie had first thought and she holds in a wince with every new blossoming bruise or red, raw scrape that’s revealed.

For her part Alex doesn’t seem to notice any pain, if anything she’s looking more relaxed than she has all evening, head tilted back against the rim of the bathtub, eyes fluttering closed as the sponge moves in slow circles over her skin. The final vestiges of tension finally seem to be melting away and Maggie knows from the slowness of her breathing that Alex is almost asleep.

She’s about to suggest Alex get out the tub when a soft voice floats through the apartment.

“Alex?”

Kara’s voice is thick with sleep, but vulnerable and scared, like a child that’s woken to find their parents missing.

At the sound of Kara’s whimper Alex’s eyes snap open and she shoots upright, water sloshing over the side of the bath as she scrambles to get out. Maggie’s hand on her shoulder stills her movement and she shoots the detective a frantic look, one that questions why she’s stopped her going to her sister's side.

“Stay.” Maggie’s voice is firm, but gentle. “I’ll go to her.”

Alex opens her mouth to protest but Maggie is already on her feet, shaking her head and applying gentle pressure to Alex’s shoulder to keep her in the tub. “Stay Danvers, we'll be waiting for you to finish up. You need this.”

Alex relinquishes control with a heavy exhale, slumping back into the warm water and allowing her eyes to drift closed again, albeit with new worry lines wrinkling the edges.

After dropping a soft kiss to her forehead Maggie moves swiftly through the living room to the cracked door that leads to Kara's bedroom. Hesitating by the door her heart cracks a little more when the sound of soft sniffles reaches her ears.

“Kara.” Speaking gently she eases the door open. The room is lit softly by a small beside lamp, and by its light Maggie can make out Kara’s form, cocooned in the duvet, head buried half in the pillow and half in her hands, barely concealed sobs slipping through her fingers.

In a flash Maggie is by her side, perching on the edge of the bed she runs one hand through long blonde tresses, much as she had done to Alex earlier that evening.

The action appears to have a calming effect on both Danvers sisters because within seconds Kara’s cries have receded to quiet sniffling and after a few moments more the hero is able to lift her head, exposing a tear stained face to Maggie’s sympathetic gaze. 

“Maggie?” Kara almost looks surprised to see her and the detective realises just how upset Kara must be if she couldn’t tell who was outside the door just from their heartbeat.

Kara loves explaining the differences she can hear between the people she loved heartbeats. It had led to one memorable rainy afternoon where Kara had spent almost an hour with her ear pressed against Maggie’s chest, determined to learn every little thing she could about her sister’s girlfriend’s heartbeat (‘So I can pick you out in a crowd in case you ever need help!’). Much to Maggie’s amusement and Alex’s exasperation.

“Hey Little Danvers.”

“What are you...? Where’s Alex?” Kara casts a wild glance at the door and Maggie is quick to soothe her with another sweep through her hair.

“Alex is fine. She’s in the bath.”

Kara sags at her words, face falling against the pillow again. “How did you...?” her question trails off as she peers up at Maggie with wide eyes.

“Winn called me.” Maggie replies, hands not stilling in their movements. “He was worried about you and Alex. After today.”

At the mention of the op Kara’s face crumples, a fresh sob building in her throat.

“It was so horrible Maggie, he was so strong, and he took me by surprise.” Her voice shudders as her eyes glaze over, clearly lost in awful memories. “By the time I’d recovered he'd just gone straight through them, Bates was just lying there, so still, so pale. All I could hear was Alex screaming at him to get up, then he hit her.” Eyes squeeze shut as Kara attempts to control her emotions, hands clutching the pillow under her head so tightly that Maggie can hear the fibres breaking.

She knows just how hard Kara is working to fight8 her natural strength, knows that if she wanted too the blonde could grind the bed to dust in the blink of an eye.

“She went down so hard I was afraid she wasn’t going to get up again. I was paralysed with fear Maggie, I couldn’t move.” Turning onto her back Kara finally meets her eyes, fear swirling in her blur irises. “If Alex had died what would I have done? I can’t even think about what...”

Maggie understands that Kara can’t even say the words, that her world would fall apart if Alex wasn’t in it.

“By the time I came to my senses he was escaping.” Her voice cracks again and one hand reaches out to grasp the worn leather of Maggie’s jacket that she's yet to take off. “It's all my fault, if I’d not frozen, if I’d acted quicker. God Maggie it’s all my fault!”

Faster than she believed possible Maggie has scooped the hero up into her arms, sliding onto the bed she pulls Kara against her shoulder, arms encircling her body and drawing her close, squeezing her tight as she can whilst soothing her with soft whispers and even softer lips to her temple.

“Shhhh Little Danvers, you listen to me. This is _not_ your fault, at all you hear me? What happened today was a result of bad luck, what happened to those agents is not on you, not on Alex. Bates wouldn’t want you beating yourself up like this, none of them would. You, Kara Danvers, are a hero.” Pressing another kiss to the crown of Kara’s head Maggie cradles her tighter, ignoring the twinge of pain in her forearms as Kara’s fingers grasp her just a little too tightly.

“You and your sister are two of the most remarkable women I have ever met.” She continues when Kara’s sobs have subsided to sniffles again. “And the world is not only safer, but a much better and brighter place with both of you in it.”

Kara sniffs and buries her head further into Maggie’s embrace, her hands loosening against the detectives arms but still clutching for dear life, as if Maggie is a lifeline she can’t let go of.

Maggie starts to hum again, the first thing that comes into her head, a melody she knows from a long time ago but can’t place where. The sound floats around the room and soon Kara's breathing has evened out, her tears have stopped staining Maggie’s shirt and her body relaxes.

“Being a superhero is really hard.”

The mumbled admission comes a few minutes later, and Maggie has to strain to hear it.

“I have all these powers, I can do the most amazing things, and I should be able to save everyone with them. I have that power.” Turning her face Kara gazes up at Maggie with wide blue eyes, tears once again threatening. “I couldn’t save everyone.”

“Kara, sweetie. No one can.” Maggie tells her softly. “You can’t save everyone, but you save as many as you can, and you remind yourself of that on days like today, days when you can’t save everyone. Then, the next time there are people who need you, you get out there again.”

“What if I can’t get back up? How do I get back up?”

“You remind yourself that you are making a difference, that you’re saving everyone you can. That the world is better for you trying.” Maggie looks down at the hero with sad eyes, it’s clear from her expression that this is a talk that she’s given herself many times before.

“And if that doesn’t work?”

“You let your family remind you instead.”

Kara’s eyes widen ever so slightly at Maggie’s words. “Are we...?”

“Family?” Maggie arches an eyebrow. “I'd say we definitely are Little Danvers.”

A watery smile breaks out on Kara’s face and she hugs Maggie tightly.

“I like the idea of having another sister.” She mumbles.

“Me too.” Maggie chuckles resting her cheek on top of Kara's.

Movement in the doorway catches her attention. Alex is leaning against the door frame, one arm wrapped gingerly around her stomach and her eyes fixed firmly on the two figures curled up on the bed.

Maggie doesn’t know how long she’s been stood there, but the look of tenderness and adoration she can see shinning in her girlfriend’s eyes indicates she’s heard at least the end of the conversation.

Kara seems to realise that Maggie’s attention has shifted and raises her head.

“Alex!”

Alex is moving as soon as her sister speaks, crossing the room as fast as her battered body will allow, her hand coming up instinctively to meld with Kara’s outstretched one. The superhero visibly relaxing the second her skin came into contact with Alex’s.

“How you doing?” Alex asks softly, placing a gentle kiss to the back of her sisters hand.

“A bit better.” Kara admits. “Thanks to Maggie.”

The look Alex’s shoots her way is enough to have her heart stuttering in her chest.

“Good.”

“Alex, I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to stop him! I’m sorry you got hurt because of me and that Bates...”

“Hey,” Maggie interrupts gently seeing how Alex’s face tightens at Kara’s words, how tears are collecting once again in Kara’s eyes, “it’s late, both of you need to sleep.” Her tone is soft, but her words leave no room for argument and neither Danvers sister has the energy in them to argue with her.

“Will you stay?” Kara asks in a small voice, hands tightening on Maggie’s jacket as the detective shifts to move off the bed.

Maggie glances at Alex, who responds with the slightest of nods. “Of course.”

Slipping out of Kara’s hold long enough to shuck her jacket and trousers Maggie made to move round the other side of the bed to allow Alex and Kara to cuddle each other, but is surprised when Kara’s hand on her wrist stops her. Using some of her super strength the blonde guides Maggie to the middle of the bed, immediately cuddling back into her side, ear pressed over her heart.

“Your heartbeat is soothing.” Kara mumbles in way of explanation.

Alex is quick to cuddle into Maggie’s other side the fingers of her right hand tangling with Kara’s across Maggie’s stomach. Her lips brushing against Maggie’s next just below her ear.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.” Maggie turns her head to capture Alex’s lips in a sweet kiss.

“Eww that’s gross.” Kara grumbles from Maggie’s left side.

Alex retaliates by slapping Kara’s hand, her lips curving into a smile against Maggie’s.

Kara’s responding giggle is weaker than usual and sounds a little watery, as if the younger woman is holding back tears. Maggie squeezes her gently, hoping to convey in the simple gesture what words cannot express.

They don’t need to be brave anymore. They don’t have to hold it together anymore. She’s here.

Two sets of breathing slow, turning deep as the Danvers sisters succumb to their exhaustion, leaving Maggie lying awake, eyes flitting between the two sleeping women.

It’s been a horrible day.

Things are not going to be healed overnight, today has left scars that run deep, she doesn’t know the full extent of the damage the day has left.

But what she does know is that she will do everything in her power to help them heal.

With that resolve firm in her mind Maggie closes her eyes and hugs the two women she cares about most in the world closer, drifting off into sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Do let me know what you thought in the comments and come chat to me on Tumblr at Rehizle28.


End file.
